Duluth's Blatnik Bridge

[The Ghostbuster]

Also, over $1 billion has been given to fund the new Blatnik Bridge: https://www.wmtv15news.com/2024/01/23/more-than-1-billion-awarded-minnesota-wisconsin-bridge/.

[triplemultiplex]

Amazing how much shit costs now in construction.  A four lane bridge of some height but not of particularly exciting width needs a billion dollars these days.



Well, glad it'll get done.  Should be fun to watch a new span go up later this decade.  I hope it looks cool.

[edwaleni]

Between 1920 and 1970 the United States built a lot of bridges, a lot.

Between 2020 and 2070 the United States will be spending a lot of money *replacing* all those bridges.

A $1 Million dollar bridge in 1950 now would cost over $11 million.

[edwaleni]

The Blatnik, clearly a Modjeski & Masters design just like many, many others in the world:



The Hart Bridge, Jacksonville Florida



Bridge of the Americas, Panama

[Rothman]

Maybe.  Can't find a source to confirm that assertion.  Lots of big truss bridge designers out there.

[on_wisconsin]

Maybe.  Can't find a source to confirm that assertion.  Lots of big truss bridge designers out there.

According to this site it was designed by Howard, Needles, Tammen and Bergendorff.

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=minnesota/duluthblatnik/

[Rothman]

Maybe.  Can't find a source to confirm that assertion.  Lots of big truss bridge designers out there.

According to this site it was designed by Howard, Needles, Tammen and Bergendorff.

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=minnesota/duluthblatnik/

Thanks.

If one thinks about it, just going by similarity of design to identify designers is a rather foolish business, especially nowadays, where girder bridges are ubiquitous (just one example).  I mean, even within one NYSDOT region, you'll have a whole lot of similar bridges designed by various firms.

[The Ghostbuster]

Another press release about the replacement bridge, this time from The Associated Press: https://apnews.com/article/biden-infrastructure-wisconsin-blatnik-bridge-42b14e4f1e994bbe8bc0f33c3c11c19a.

[mgk920]

The Blatnik, clearly a Modjeski & Masters design just like many, many others in the world:

What, pray tell, is that structure on the span's right?

Also, I'm kind of expecting the replacement bridge to be of a cable-stayed design.

Mike

[Rothman]

The Blatnik, clearly a Modjeski & Masters design just like many, many others in the world:

What, pray tell, is that structure on the span's right?

Also, I'm kind of expecting the replacement bridge to be of a cable-stayed design.

Mike

The gravel/cement pit?  The white structure is part of that.

Photo brings back memories.  I carried out a subpeona for documents in the Seaway Port Authority back in the day.

[edwaleni]

Maybe.  Can't find a source to confirm that assertion.  Lots of big truss bridge designers out there.

According to this site it was designed by Howard, Needles, Tammen and Bergendorff.

https://historicbridges.org/bridges/browser/?bridgebrowser=minnesota/duluthblatnik/

My bad. Correct, Blatnik was designed by what is now called HNTB. I got lazy and didn't look it up and assumed it was a Modjeski & Masters since they did so many cantilever based cable spans in the 50's and 60's.

[KelleyCook]

Between 1920 and 1970 the United States built a lot of bridges, a lot.

Between 2020 and 2070 the United States will be spending a lot of money *replacing* all those bridges.

A $1 Million dollar bridge in 1950 now would cost over $11 million.

Well sure, but you $11M number is just chain-weighted dollars (aka inflation). [As an aside after last few year's fiscal policy fiasco that number is now $12.5 Million. ]

But of course the big change in expense isn't the actual cost of the bridge, labor and design, but all bureaucratic extras put in by the NIMBY folks in the early 1970s; specifically NEPA.  All those reviews take a whole hell of lot of lawyers and specialized people filling out paperwork.

[Rothman]

Between 1920 and 1970 the United States built a lot of bridges, a lot.

Between 2020 and 2070 the United States will be spending a lot of money *replacing* all those bridges.

A $1 Million dollar bridge in 1950 now would cost over $11 million.

Well sure, but you $11M number is just chain-weighted dollars (aka inflation). [As an aside after last few year's fiscal policy fiasco that number is now $12.5 Million. ]

But of course the big change in expense isn't the actual cost of the bridge, labor and design, but all bureaucratic extras put in by the NIMBY folks in the early 1970s; specifically NEPA.  All those reviews take a whole hell of lot of lawyers and specialized people filling out paperwork.

Heh.  You'd actually be surprised by how few people even a full EIS needs to get together, in terms of the document itself.

[mgk920]

The Blatnik, clearly a Modjeski & Masters design just like many, many others in the world:

What, pray tell, is that structure on the span's right?

Also, I'm kind of expecting the replacement bridge to be of a cable-stayed design.

Mike

The gravel/cement pit?  The white structure is part of that.

No no no no no, it looks like I'm looking down the length of an unused truss span.

Mike

[pianocello]

The Blatnik, clearly a Modjeski & Masters design just like many, many others in the world:

What, pray tell, is that structure on the span's right?

Also, I'm kind of expecting the replacement bridge to be of a cable-stayed design.

Mike

The gravel/cement pit?  The white structure is part of that.

No no no no no, it looks like I'm looking down the length of an unused truss span.

Mike

The underside of the far side of the bridge? It's a bit of an optical illusion at this angle.

[froggie]

The outbound direction (relative to camera location) was closed for rehab work at the time of the photo...could that be what Mike is referring to?

[mgk920]

The outbound direction (relative to camera location) was closed for rehab work at the time of the photo...could that be what Mike is referring to?

That does have the 'look' of being a temporary bypass span (but that support structure looks pretty heavy and permanent for that use).  That does look like a big-rig truck on it.

Mike

Mike

[Rothman]

The outbound direction (relative to camera location) was closed for rehab work at the time of the photo...could that be what Mike is referring to?

That does have the 'look' of being a temporary bypass span (but that support structure looks pretty heavy and permanent for that use).  That does look like a big-rig truck on it.

Mike

Mike

I'm not seeing a temp bypass span anywhere.  Just looks like there's rehabbing going on and they blocked off the underlying truss to prevent debris from falling below.

But, the photo is phuzzy.

[on_wisconsin]

After doing a reverse image search out of curiosity, bridge was in process of its first major, post I-35W incident rehab when that pic was taken (2012):

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/business/after-two-years-of-construction-blatnik-bridge-to-shine-again

[edwaleni]

Between 1920 and 1970 the United States built a lot of bridges, a lot.

Between 2020 and 2070 the United States will be spending a lot of money *replacing* all those bridges.

A $1 Million dollar bridge in 1950 now would cost over $11 million.

Well sure, but you $11M number is just chain-weighted dollars (aka inflation). [As an aside after last few year's fiscal policy fiasco that number is now $12.5 Million. ]

But of course the big change in expense isn't the actual cost of the bridge, labor and design, but all bureaucratic extras put in by the NIMBY folks in the early 1970s; specifically NEPA.  All those reviews take a whole hell of lot of lawyers and specialized people filling out paperwork.

Since the weight of that "chain" varies depending on the state involved, all I have is an inflationary one, but thanks for the reminder.

[SEWIGuy]

Between 1920 and 1970 the United States built a lot of bridges, a lot.

Between 2020 and 2070 the United States will be spending a lot of money *replacing* all those bridges.

A $1 Million dollar bridge in 1950 now would cost over $11 million.

Well sure, but you $11M number is just chain-weighted dollars (aka inflation). [As an aside after last few year's fiscal policy fiasco that number is now $12.5 Million. ]

But of course the big change in expense isn't the actual cost of the bridge, labor and design, but all bureaucratic extras put in by the NIMBY folks in the early 1970s; specifically NEPA.  All those reviews take a whole hell of lot of lawyers and specialized people filling out paperwork.

IMO a worthwhile expense. I would rather have well thought out infrastructure than the eminent domain free for all that too often existed in the post-WWII era.

[Plutonic Panda]

Between 1920 and 1970 the United States built a lot of bridges, a lot.

Between 2020 and 2070 the United States will be spending a lot of money *replacing* all those bridges.

A $1 Million dollar bridge in 1950 now would cost over $11 million.

Well sure, but you $11M number is just chain-weighted dollars (aka inflation). [As an aside after last few year's fiscal policy fiasco that number is now $12.5 Million. ]

But of course the big change in expense isn't the actual cost of the bridge, labor and design, but all bureaucratic extras put in by the NIMBY folks in the early 1970s; specifically NEPA.  All those reviews take a whole hell of lot of lawyers and specialized people filling out paperwork.

IMO a worthwhile expense. I would rather have well thought out infrastructure than the eminent domain free for all that too often existed in the post-WWII era.

This x100000.